Ethnic divide a rising threat, say senior Liberal MPs
Steve Lewis
The Daily Telegraph
February 09, 2011 12:00AM
AUSTRALIA risks becoming a nation of "ethnic enclaves" with meat slaughtered "in the name of Allah", senior Liberal MPs have warned.
Opening up a new political faultline, former immigration minister Kevin Andrews has lashed out at political leaders who fail to speak on the rise of extreme Islam, saying this silence contributes to the rise of One Nation-type groups.
Liberal frontbencher, Mitch Fifield, also warned of the danger of "parallel societies" as in Europe where hardline Muslim groups preach sharia law rather than Western values.
Their comments follow attacks by British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the "failure" of multi-culturalism in their respective countries.
Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett also bought into the debate by saying migrants needed to accept the Australian way of life.
Mr Andrews described the British prime minister's comments as "fairly sensible" and relevant to Australia.
"I think there is a risk [of ethnic enclaves] in Australia," Mr Andrews said.
"What actually concerns me the most is that we can't have a discussion about it," he said, as he pushed for a public debate on the issue.
Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has warned of a growing "cultural divide" as hardline followers of Islam turn their backs on mainstream values.
He cited Muslim-only toilets at a Melbourne university and the slaughtering of meat "in the name of Allah" as two cultural practices that should be opposed.
"I, for one, don't want to eat meat butchered in the name of an ideology that is mired in sixth century brutality and is anathema to my own values," Senator Bernardi said.
Their concerns were dismissed by the Government and the Greens, who instead want to focus on the "positive" aspects of Australia's diverse ethnic heritage.
Parliamentary secretary on immigration, Kate Lundy, said the "Australian community is uniquely diverse and we have a proud record of successfully leveraging the benefits of migration".
Greens' immigration spokeswoman, Sarah Hanson-Young, wants MPs to focus on the positive aspects of Australia's rich ethnic mix.
Please Sarah two names, and Kate Lundy please tell Australians just what are the positive aspects of Multiculturalism? apart from the Harmony Day Festivals,handouts and wimmins / ethnic collective co operatives,clearly YOU have not been gang Raped or bashed …. yet.
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